Sintesis informativa - 24 de mayo 2019
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Assange Indicted Under Espionage Act, Raising First Amendment Issues
WASHINGTON — Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks leader, has been indicted on 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act for his role in obtaining and publishing secret military and diplomatic documents in 2010, the Justice Department announced on Thursday — a novel case that raises profound First Amendment issues.
The new charges were part of an expanded indictment obtained by the Trump administration that significantly raised the stakes of the legal case against Mr. Assange, who is already fighting extradition proceedings in London based on an earlier hacking-related count brought by federal prosecutors in Northern Virginia.
The charges are the latest twist in a career in which Mr. Assange has morphed from a crusader for radical transparency to fugitive from a Swedish sexual assault investigation, to tool of Russia’s election interference, to criminal defendant in the United States.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/us/politics/assange-indictment.html
Theresa May to Resign as U.K. Prime Minister: Live Updates
Facing a cabinet rebellion, Theresa May announced Friday morning her decision to leave office. She spoke briefly after meeting with Graham Brady, a powerful leader of backbench Conservative lawmakers.
Standing in front of 10 Downing Street, Mrs. May said it was in the “best interests of the country for a new prime minister” to lead Britain through the Brexit process. She announced plans to step down as the leader of the Conservative Party on June 7, with the process to replace her beginning the following week. She will remain as a caretaker prime minister until a new leader is chosen, probably by the end of July.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/24/world/europe/theresa-may-resignation.html
Afghan War Casualty Report: May 17-23
At least 16 pro-government forces and 14 civilians were killed in Afghanistan during the past week. There was a notable decrease in attacks compared to the near-constant violence breaking out across the country in recent months, possibly because of Ramadan. Heavy rains in various parts of the country have also limited insurgents’ mobility. On Wednesday, a massive Taliban attack was thwarted by security forces in Ghazni Province. Afghan forces stopped a Humvee that was laden with explosives and heading toward government buildings in the provincial capital. The explosion that resulted from security forces striking the Humvee with a rocket killed two civilians and two police officers.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/magazine/afghan-war-casualty-report.html
Trump Jumps Into Impeachment Fray With Both Feet
WASHINGTON — The idea was to talk about relief for farmers hurt by tariffs, with a couple of them standing behind him in cowboy hats. But it did not take long on Thursday for President Trump to go off on “Crazy Nancy” and “Crying Chuck” and “treason” and the effort to “take me down.”
The last time a president was threatened with impeachment, he made a point of not talking about it. This one cannot stop talking about it. Where Bill Clinton tried to appear above the mud fight, leaving it to aides and allies to wage the battle for him, Mr. Trump is determined to get down into the mud himself and wrestle with his enemies at every turn.
Some advisers worry that the president is giving oxygen to a fire that otherwise might burn out or at least be left to crackle in the background. Others agree with Mr. Trump that he has been treated so unfairly that he should take on his opponents frontally.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/24/us/politics/trump-impeachment-fight.html
SpaceX Launches 60 Starlink Internet Satellites Into Orbit
On Thursday night, SpaceX launched a batch of 60 internet communications satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
More than one hour later, some 270 miles above Earth, the cluster of satellites — part of a system called Starlink — pushed off from the rocket that carried it to orbit. The individual satellites slowly began to drift toward their singular journeys above the planet.
By next year, SpaceX hopes that hundreds of the devices could be circling the planet, beaming high-speed internet service everywhere. It could allow SpaceX to enter a new business that might generate revenue to finance the dream of sending people to Mars.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/science/spacex-launch.html
THE GUARDIAN
New US charges against Julian Assange could spell decades behind bars
Prosecutors announced 17 additional charges against Assange for publishing hundreds of thousands of secret diplomatic cables and files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Assange, 47, was previously charged with working to hack a Pentagon computer system, in a secret indictment that was unveiled soon after his arrest at Ecuador’s embassy in London last month.
The WikiLeaks founder faces a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison in the US if convicted of all the charges against him
Theresa May announces she will resign on 7 June
Theresa May has bowed to intense pressure from her own party and named 7 June as the day she will step aside as Conservative leader, drawing her turbulent three-year premiership to a close.
Speaking in Downing Street, May said it had been “the honour of my life” to serve as Britain’s second female prime minister. Her voice breaking, she said she would leave “with no ill will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love”.
The prime minister listed a series of what she said were her government’s achievements, including tackling the deficit, reducing unemployment and boosting funding for mental health.
But she admitted: “It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit.”
Diehard Bolsonaro supporters prepare to march as criticism of his rule intensifies
Bolsonaro swept to power last October, his insurgent campaign turbocharged by widespread revolt at the corruption and economic misrule of the Brazilian left.
But seven months later, with Brazil’s economy stuck in the doldrums, political infighting raging, and Bolsonaro facing protests at home, rejection overseas and questions over corruption in both his party and his family, his approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows and several prominent supporters are publicly voicing regret.
AL JAZEERA
Theresa May announces resignation amid Brexit chaos
May will step down as Conservative leader on June 7 after weeks of deadlock and chaos surrounding Brexit.
The race to replace her began a few weeks ago, with at least three leading Conservative figures declaring their candidacy for the leadership.
But whoever replaces her will face the same parliamentary arithmetic which denied May an outright majority and a public greatly dissatisfied both with the delivery of Brexit and the state of the nation's leadership more generally.
Iran vows no surrender - even if bombed by 'enemies'
War rhetoric ratchets up again as Iranian president says his people will never give up the fight for their independence.
Earlier in the day, Iran's top military chief said the standoff between Tehran and Washington was a "clash of wills", warning any enemy "adventurism" would meet a crushing response, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
Iran's armed forces chief of staff, Major-General Mohammad Baqeri, also pointed to an Iranian battle victory in the war with Iraq, and said that outcome should be a message that Iran will have a "hard, crushing and obliterating response" for any enemy.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told German envoy Jens Ploetner - who is seeking to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal - that Tehran's patience was over. He urged the treaty's remaining signatories to fulfil their commitments after the United States pulled out, the Fars news agency reported on Thursday.
Britain, France and Germany, which signed the 2015 deal along with the US, China and Russia, are determined to show they can compensate for last year's US withdrawal from the deal, protect trade, and still dissuade Tehran from quitting an accord designed to prevent it developing a nuclear bomb.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/iran-vows-surrender-bombed-enemies-190523191232934.html
RUSSIA TODAY
UK PM Theresa May announces resignation, will quit on June 7
Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed her resignation in a solemn address given outside her former residence at No. 10 Downing st Friday in a long-awaited move. The process for electing a new leader should begin next week May said, after confirming that she had informed the Queen of her decision to step down while expressing regret that she had failed to secure a Brexit deal.
“I will resign as leader of the Conservative and Unionist party on Friday, 7 June so that a successor can be chosen,” May said in front of the steps of 10 Downing Street. May will continue to serve as the British leader until the process of electing a new leader is completed. Tory chairman Brandon Lewis said the party's leadership contest will begin in the week starting 10 June with a final vote in mid-July.
https://www.rt.com/news/460150-theresa-may-resigns-brexit/
Pentagon confirms mulling more troops for Middle East
As US relations with Iran continue to plummet, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan confirmed military planners were weighing a new troop deployment to the Middle East.
“What we're looking at is: Are there things that we can do to enhance force protection in the Middle East?” Shanahan told reporters at the Pentagon Thursday, adding “It may involve sending additional troops.” Shanahan dismissed reports that suggested Washington had plans to send 120,000 troops into the region, and declined to discuss specific numbers for the potential deployment.
https://www.rt.com/newsline/460112-pentagon-considering-troops-middle-east/
Pakistan offers to be mediator between US and Iran as threat of large-scale conflict flares up
Pakistan has said it is ready to mediate between Washington and Tehran as Iran’s foreign minister arrived for talks in Islamabad amid growing tensions in the Middle East.
Islamabad is worried about the situation in the region as the US builds up its military presence in the Persian Gulf, but has indicated it’s not going to take sides in the intensifying conflict between Washington and Tehran. “If required, Pakistan is ready to play a constructive and positive role in this regard,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said in a Thursday press briefing.
https://www.rt.com/news/460144-pakistan-mediate-iran-us/
US proposes penalties on countries it accuses of manipulating currencies
The US Commerce Department has proposed a new rule to impose anti-subsidy duties on products from countries that Washington sees as undervaluing their currencies against the dollar to get an advantage in trade.
The rule could put goods from Japan, South Korea, India, Germany, and Switzerland, at risk of higher tariffs. Those countries, along with China, were all listed on the Treasury Department’s currency report’s “monitoring list.” The list tracks currency market interventions, high global current account surpluses and high bilateral trade surpluses.
https://www.rt.com/business/460180-us-sanctions-currency-manipulations/
Meddling 101: US Army research center publishes strategy to destabilize Russia
The US could use a variety of economic, military and ideological strategies to “overextend and unbalance” Russia, a new report sponsored by the US Army glaringly suggests, offering blueprints to divide and destabilize the country.
The study examines “nonviolent, cost-imposing options” that the US and its allies could employ to weaken Russia’s economy, military and government structures — and was conducted by the RAND Arroyo Center — the US Army’s federally funded research arm.
While US officials and mainstream media fret constantly about vague and unverified claims of Russian “meddling,” “interference” and efforts to “sow discord” in US society, the RAND report openly details a shameless plot to drum up social discontent and societal divisions – in Russia.
The report says Russia suffers from “deep seated” but “exaggerated” anxieties about the possibility of “Western-inspired regime change.” Evidently the authors didn’t recognize the irony of calling those concerns “exaggerated” in a document dedicated to describing specific ways to do just that.
https://www.rt.com/usa/460122-rand-study-destabilize-russia/
AL MAYADEEN
Senador de EE.UU. pide a Trump invadir Venezuela como hizo Ronald Reagan en Granada en 1983
El senador republicano Lindsey Graham instó al presidente de Estados Unidos, Donad Trump, a unir sus palabras a la acción en el caso de Venezuela y enviar tropas a ese país sudamericano, como mismo hizo otro mandatario, Ronald Reagan, cuando invadió Granada en 1983.
En los últimos meses, EE.UU. ha intensificado su campaña de presión contra Venezuela, mediante la imposición de sanciones y el lanzamiento de amenazas, incluida la intervención militar, con el fin de sacar a Maduro del poder y poner en su lugar al “títere” opositor Juan Guaidó.
Sin embargo, el intento de Guaidó de derrocar el Gobierno de Nicolás Maduro falló, porque no contó con el apoyo que creía, ya que la unidad cívico-militar se mantiene acl lado del gobernante electo democráticamente.
EE.UU. acusa a Julian Assange de 17 nuevos cargos criminales
Las nuevas imputaciones se suman al cargo de conspiración anunciado por Washington justo después que el activista australiano fuera arrestado en Reino Unido tras ser despojado de su asilo político en la Embajada ecuatoriana en ese país.
Tal acusación estipula un límite de cinco años en prisión, pero los nuevos cargos, cada uno con una potencial privación de libertad de hasta una década, suponen un máximo adicional de 170 años tras las rejas.
La parte acusatoria indica que estas revelaciones —más de 700 mil documentos clasificados—, contenían nombres de ciudadanos afganos e iraquíes que fungieron como fuentes para el Gobierno estadounidense, por lo que los fiscales estiman que las filtraciones pusieron "a personas inocentes en grave peligro simplemente porque proporcionaron información a EE.UU.".
